magnusfide
On the Road Again and Again and Again...
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Joined: 10/30/2009
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Is it safe to start making plans for that "Iceland" trip?
"The only time you should fear cast iron is if your wife is fixin' to hit you with it."-Kent Rollins
First law of science: don't spit into the wind.
Magnus
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Joined: 10/29/2004
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Happy dance. L'Andante is fully paid off, so if she decides to fall apart on the way to/from Scotland/Iceland/not here, we won't have to deal with an outstanding mortgage.
We started moving stuff from the trailer back into L'Andante, but this time, it's not all going back into the same locations. We don't have near as much stuff, since we'd already done a big clutter cleanup when we first moved the stuff into the trailer, so I don't need to arrange it the same way.
Then WLToo noticed oil dripping. We've just gotten her back from maintenance, including an oil change. I'm thinking someone didn't adequately tighten a nut. WLToo is diddling around, trying to discover the leak without actually doing anything. One month out from departure and I'm gettin' seriously ticked that he's not moving forward on getting whatever fixed, while oil still drips. We shall be having words...
Tall and Short Friend closed on their house and are gradually setting up house. They picked up some very, very nice furniture at estate sales and we helped them move it in. Yesterday, a maid service came in to do a deep clean -- previous owners used it for a rare vacation home and didn't bother with cleaning it much, just barely a wipe and a promise. Short Friend borrowed our steam mop, vacuum, and steam rug cleaner, but after she wore herself out, she decided that deep clean needed more than just her efforts. Hope they did an acceptable job - she is kinda picky.
They haven't shown any interest in moving out of the FW, so they're still here, which is fine with us. We'll miss them not being 50 feet away, but 8 minutes away is okay, too. They'll still be close.
WLToo still isn't sure if we have baby bluebonnets. We won't know for certain for another couple weeks. I'm sure that if we do have them, they will not bloom until next year. When we get back from the long trip, we'll head up to the wildflower farm and grab more seeds to scatter. The more, the merrier.
With all the new growth, the feeder's noise doesn't have deer running to eat the corn. Now it's just a nice treat for them. Herd is looking lovely as they graze all around the house twice a day.
A roadrunner was walking down the drive while barn swallows swooped down on it. Not sure what it did to annoy them.
We've had several cold snaps, requiring us to close windows and wear long pants, but spring is definitely here. Condolences to y'all in the blizzard zone. The big melt will be a right mess, too.
The UPS (uninterrupted power source) serge protector died, so we need to go get another one. Later, y'all.
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." -- Mahatma Gandhi
Czarny, black cat
Rainbow Bridge: Spotacus, Alexander the Grrreat, and so very many more
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magnusfide
On the Road Again and Again and Again...
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Joined: 10/30/2009
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Feels good to pay off the wheeled residence doesn't it? The oil might be from the cap not tightened back down enough. Hope that's all it is.
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Well, Short Friend is ready to launch her scorched earth policy. The cleaning crew came twice and basically did so little that SF could have done a better job in the same amount of time. So when she's through throwing flames (she wants to clam down first), that company will receive an appropriate rating on numerous websites.
Sister and I went to Mom's place for the monthly birthday party. They had cake, beverages, and a very good singer, who sang songs mainly from the 1950s. Strange how I knew the lyrics to most of them... On Mom's actual birthday, we're all going to Ernesto's Restaurant in San Antonio. Ernesto has a tiny little place tucked into an out-of-the-way strip mall, where he greets you personally, then looks you over and recommends something just for you. He's never wrong. It's inexpensive, yet gourmet Mexican and seafood specialities of such deliciousness that I'm amazed he's chosen to keep his place so small. Perfect place for a birthday dinner.
Got up to 91 in the city yesterday. Got up to 80 something today. The yellow wildflowers are now popping out everywhere, even though we're in a drought. Just not as profuse as wetter years.
I hear Spotacus calling. Wants me to come see something. Later, y'all.
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magnusfide
On the Road Again and Again and Again...
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Joined: 10/30/2009
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I'll have to check out Ernesto's the next time we're in San Anton'.
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Spotacus was calling this afternoon. When we got outside to see what was going on, he presented us with a gecko, which promptly took off up a porch column and got safely away. We praised Spotacus and gave him a kitty treat, and he was happy.
Decided to replace some stuff in L'Andante, rather than use the same old same old. Promptly stumbled into a sale, so I got out of that store a lot cheaper than I'd planned. Whew.
Library volunteers luncheon, writers' group meeting, Mom's birthday dinner, dental appointment, abdominal ultrasound -- this is one busy week. And the Lyriad meteor shower is Saturday - hope there are no clouds.
Spotacus just got his flea/heartworm meds and extra treats, but he's not going to have anything to do with us until bedtime. Then he'll be sure to rub the meds onto my face. Neither one of us will get fleas or heart worms...
Later, y'all.
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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L'Andante goes back in tomorrow for a repair to the repair. Sigh. WLToo will drive her over while I'm at the dentist getting a new crown, then I'll pick him up. Hopefully, this repair won't take so bloody long...
Meanwhile, we stowed a few more items on her, pulled more stuff off (if I can't even remember it, it's not staying on board), and threw the linens in the laundry.
Spotacus did not join us, but remained in bed. Last night, about midnight, he got super playful. Dashed in the south door, zoomed around the kitchen, jumped on me, bounced over to WLToo, back down, and zoomed back outside. He did this several times before I went to bed, then messed with WLToo a while longer before planting himself under my chin. I guess all that zooming wore him out...
The does are hanging around closer to the house now. I expect to see a fawn or two drop before we depart. Lots of birds this spring, so it's fairly noisy outside. I love it.
I see the hummingbird feeder needs a refill. Later, y'all.
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magnusfide
On the Road Again and Again and Again...
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Joined: 10/30/2009
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"Who's zoomin' who?" must have been Spotacus theme song that night. I'm with you on the clutter clearout. I get tired of needing a front end loader every time I want to get something out of the basement storage. Herself and I are going to tackle the de-clutter this weekend. She's in charge of the indoors and I'm in charge of the dutch ovens and camp cooking gear. Maybe we'll lose a hundred pounds.
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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We're adding Grandad's campfire dutch oven, that he used when he was a chuckwagon cook. It weighs a bit, but WLToo wants to do some campfire cooking, so we're loading it. We've never had L'Andante fully loaded, even when we were full-timing, so adding it won't be a big deal.
Got some health issues going on, but they shouldn't stop or delay the trip. Filling prescriptions along the way might be an issue - will be discussing it with insurance in May.
Spotacus got real playful early this evening, just before the thunderstorm rolled in. Then he decided to take cover in bed. This cold front should result in good sleeping tonight, with the low around 49. I might need to use the blanket...
WLToo is having a time with the new BluRay. We're putting the old one on the RV and loading a number of our favorite movies. We don't watch a lot of TV, but we do like older movies.
It's getting very gray out there. Must go check for loose stuff that could blow around. Later, y'all.
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Well, yesterday turned into quite an event. Shortly after getting up, WLToo told me that his little voice was saying we really, really need a new RV. So I got onto the internet and found a Winnebago Forza at a price we were comfortable with. We tooled up the road to that dealer and it was very suitable.
So now we're waiting to see what terms their credit department offers. If acceptable to us, we'll take both the trailer and L'Andante to them on Monday and pick up the new RV.
After selecting the new RV, we drove to where L'Andante was in for repair to chat about how long said repair would take. It was over three weeks just to "find the parts." So we cancelled that, since the new RV's dealer is an authorized Winnebago repair facility and they said they'd fix her, and brought her home. We'll never be doing business with that RV repair facility again.
Today, we emptied both. Not even half of that stuff is going onto the new RV.
Meanwhile, Spotacus "helped," in the sense that he poked about and announced when we forgot something -- not that we had, we just hadn't loaded it into the pickup yet. Exhausted from his efforts, he's been asleep on the porch ever since. I do believe he'll really like the new RV - it won't have residual smells from previous traveling cats.
Popcorn's ready. Later, y'all.
* This post was
edited 04/28/18 11:36am by Wanderlost *
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